There are no local airports around the city. However, main airports of Lithuania (Vilnius (VNO) and Kaunas (KUN) international airports) are 150 and 50 kilometres away. After landing Kėdainiai can be easily reached in couple of hours using bus or train. There are no direct routes from airport, so trip from airport to station and from station to station should be planned.

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There are no local airports around the city. However, main airports of Lithuania [[Vilnius]] (VNO) and [[Kaunas]] (KUN) international airports are 150 and 50 kilometres away. After landing Kėdainiai can be easily reached in couple of hours using bus or train. There are no direct routes from airport, so trip from airport to station and from station to station should be planned.

===By car===

===By car===

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As Kėdainiai located in the centre of the country it is not difficult to reach the city by car. Main motorways of the country passes through the city. It is about 150 kilometres away from the capital [[Vilnius]] and about 50 kilometres away from the second largest city [[Kaunas]].

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As Kėdainiai located in the centre of the country it is not difficult to reach the city by car. Main motorways of the country passes through the city. It is about 150 kilometres away from the capital [[Vilnius]] and about 50 kilometres away from the second largest city [[Kaunas]]. Everyone can easily access Kėdainiai, going by major route [[Via Baltica]], officially known as European route E 67, that goes from the [[Estonia]]n capital [[Tallinn]] to the [[Poland|Polish]] capital [[Warsaw]]. It is the most important highway between the Baltic States, and fairly important for traffic from [[Finland]] and [[Russia]] to [[Central Europe]] as well as the other way around.

===By bus===

===By bus===

Revision as of 16:00, 16 January 2010

Kėdainiai old town, shot taken from the left river bank

Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. Found in 1372, it is located in geographical centre of Lithuania, by Nevėžis river. It has about 30,000 inhabitants and is the 10th largest city of Lithuania.

Currently Kėdainiai is one of seven cities of Lithuania that have old-towns. It is about 3 square kilometres in size and is one of the biggest old-towns in the country. Some of its buildings and squares dates XVII century or earlier.

It is widely accepted in Lithuania, that Kėdainiai is one of the tidiest and pleasant cities in the country and local people are really happy about that. Recently there has been some effort to make the place more attractive to the tourists.

Contents

Get in

By plane

There are no local airports around the city. However, main airports of Lithuania Vilnius (VNO) and Kaunas (KUN) international airports are 150 and 50 kilometres away. After landing Kėdainiai can be easily reached in couple of hours using bus or train. There are no direct routes from airport, so trip from airport to station and from station to station should be planned.

By car

As Kėdainiai located in the centre of the country it is not difficult to reach the city by car. Main motorways of the country passes through the city. It is about 150 kilometres away from the capital Vilnius and about 50 kilometres away from the second largest city Kaunas. Everyone can easily access Kėdainiai, going by major route Via Baltica, officially known as European route E 67, that goes from the Estonian capital Tallinn to the Polish capital Warsaw. It is the most important highway between the Baltic States, and fairly important for traffic from Finland and Russia to Central Europe as well as the other way around.

By bus

Kėdainiai could be reached by bus easily because a lot of buses from Kaunas goes to Šiauliai and Panevėžys through Kėdainiai. However, city is almost inaccessible by bus from Vilnius (only 2-3 daily routes), Klaipėda, other East and West Lithuanian cities. The bus ticket from Kaunas to Kėdainiai costs about 20 Litas.

By train

The main Lithuanian railway goes through Kėdainiai. You can get by train from Vilnius, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Jonava. The train ticket from Vilnius costs about 20 Lt, from Šiauliai about 15 Litas. Trip can be planned using Lithuanian railways website [1].

Get around

By bus

Kėdainiai has a local bus company "Kėdbusas" which serves in the city ad local district. You can get to all city parts by city bus. Almost all buses a new and comfortable. You must enter through the fist bus doors and buy a ticket from the bus driver. Also you can buy the ticket from kiosk before but you must it give to mark for bus driver. The ticket costs 1.5 litas, it a little cheaper at the kiosk. Also, there are discounts for students and invalids. Buses is not th best way to get in any place in the district even if your destiny is not a far from the city because district bus service is poor and buses go not frequently to rural places.

There is private bus service at the city also.

By taxi

There are some taxi companies in Kėdainiai. You can found their telephone numbers in bus stations, phone-boxes other public places.

See

Kėdainiai city is a rich for its history. The main place you could be interested visit is old town. Kėdainiai was a one of the main cities in Lithuanian history and this reflects in its architecture. Also, Kėdainiai was a multinational and multi culture city here was big Jews, German, Polish, Scottish, Russian communities. Kėdainiai even has 7 churches of various confessions and it is very unique that so little city has so many churches.

Old town streets, especially the main one Didžioji is nice, cosy and tidy. You may start your travel from the city center where are located Orthodox church and gym which one was established by local nobleman Kristupas Radvila at 1647. Passing Didžioji street you'll see old Kėdainiai architecture. You should visit Kėdainiai evangelical church. It was one of the main centers of Reformation in Lithuania. The guide you'll tell about reformation in Lithuania, the great Lithuanian-Polish noblemen Radvilos (Radzwill) and will take you to the tomb of some members of Radvilos. Other places you may be interested to visit are two Synagogues at the cobbly square Senoji Rinka square ("Old Market" because of being marketplace at the past). The Jew philosopher Vilnius Gaon was teaching in one of these synagogues. Nowadays it serves as museum and gallery and a guide you will tell about Jews history in Kėdainiai. At the Naujoji Rinka (New Market) square you could see monument for Radvilos and one of few Lithuanian city halls, also you can walk through coast of Nevėžis river. At the other coast of Nevėžis Gothic church of St. George stands. You may be also interested to visit the main Catholic church St.Joseph which is made from wood and stands at Radvilų street. At the Didžioji street you can also visit city museum which have rich collection of exhibits. At the main Kėdainiai street Basanavičiaus about 1 km from old town Janina Monkutė-Marks art museum is located.

Outside the old town the main tourist feature is one of two minarets in Lithuania. Despite there was no Muslim community in Kėdainiai the minaret was built by Eduard Totlban as a monument for Crimean wars. It is located about 5 km from city center just near Kėdainiai train station at the main city park.

Just some kilometers from Kėdainiai are he geographic center of Lithuania at the Ruoščiai village. One of the main points of interest for Polish people is Polish writer Czeslaw Milosz home place at the little Šateniai (Szatejny) village about 10 km from Kėdainiai. There is a nice park and museum.

Do

There are two national annual festivals which take patt at the summer in Kėdainiai.

Agurkų šventė (Cucumbers' festival) takes part at the middle of summer. Kėdainiai is one of the main cucumber growing area at the country so it is usual to mention this tradition. The cucumber king is elected during the festival.

Ledų šventė (Ice cream festival) takes part at the and of summer. It is organized by local ice cream producer Vikeda. There are big concerts at his time. The main festival attrcation is possibility to get ice cream for free. The tokens are taking down from helicopter.

There is one nightclub "Actyvity Zone" and "Vikonda" entertaining center at the city.

Buy

There is no big supermarkets in Kėdainiai. But there is a lot of shops at the center and other city parts. The main are Maxima, Rimi, Norfa.

Eat

There is some restaurants at the old town. They generally are cheap but there is no a big assortment. You can eat typical Lithuanian meals.